Cellars International, Inc. Rudi Wiest Selections66.63.136.147/vintages/2003.pdfRudi Wiest Selections - 800.596.9463 (WINE) z 2003 German Vintage Report 2003 is destined to become

Rudi Wiest Selections Cel la r s In t e rna t i ona l , Inc.

Cellars International 8 0 0 . 5 9 6 . 9 4 6 3 ( W I N E ) i n f o @ g e r m a n w i n e . n e t w w w . g e r m a n w i n e . n e t

2003 German Vintage Report

“Riesling Rising”

Purveyo r s o f Fin e German Win e

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Rudi Wiest Selections - 800.596.9463 (WINE) www.germanwine.net 2003 German Vintage Report

I ndex 1 2003 O verv iew 2 2003 Pheno log ic a l Da ta 5 Mönchho f / Mose l 6 W ege le r / Mose l 7 Joh . Jos . P rüm / Mose l 8 D r . F . W e ins -P r üm / Mos e l 9 Sch loss L i ese r / Mos e l 10 F r i t z Haag / Mos e l 11 Re inho ld H aar t / Mose l 12 M i l z - Lauren t iusho f / Mose l 13 Kar t häuser ho f / Ruwe r 14 von Höve l / Saa r 15 Z i l l i ken / Saa r 16 Ber t S im on / Saar 17 Robe r t W e i l / Rhe ingau 18 F ranz Küns t le r / Rhe ingau 19 W ege le r / Rhe ingau 20 von Buh l / P f a l z 21 P fe f f i ngen / P fa l z 22 Rebho lz / P fa l z 23 Hans W i rsch ing / F rank en 24 Rudo l f Fü rs t / F ranken 25 Schä fe r -F röh l i ch / Nahe 26 Gunder l och / Rhe inhess en 27 Dr . Heger / Baden 28 Meye r -Näke l / Ah r 29

2 0 0 3 G e r m a n V i n ta g e R e p o r t

Rudi Wiest Selections Purv eyo r s o f Fine Ge rman W ine

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2003 is destined to become one of Germany’s legendary vintages. When evaluating these wines there is a lot more to it than the proverbial numbers. A cursory look shows low acid wines with very high must weights. On closer examination it becomes clear these acids have achieved a degree of ripeness not seen in the last century, with over 90% tartaric acid. The wines also contain robust amounts of residual sugar that will stand them in good stead and allow them to age for many years to come. A sensory evaluation shows these high must weight wines not overdone, but rich, dense, concentrated yet with an elegance, refinement and never before encountered mouth feel. From 1988 through 2002, with only 1991 and 2000 uneven, there has been a steady flow of wonderful wines which consumers and the press alike have finally started to notice. There has not been anything in our life time like these 2003 wines.

2003 barrels samples at Karthäuserhof 2003 will take its rightful place along side great vintages as 1976, 1959 and 1921. In terms of sunshine hours it surpasses all vintages back to 1900. The prolonged high temperatures were both a cause for celebration and concern. Younger vines lacking an established root system became an endangered species. Older, deeper root stock prevailed. The northern growing regions: Ahr, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Nahe, Rheingau and Rheinhessen came through in fine fashion. The Saar, with usually the harshest climate, moves to the head of the class, but there are benchmark wines from all the northern appellations. Even in the warmer climates where higher alcohol may frame the selections as potentially “unGerman-like”, our growers still crafted fine and elegant wines. It was an eye-opener for our staff to observe such tuned, well balanced and site-specific wines along with the vintage-typical lower but ripe acids.

While 2003 produced big, concentrated wines, bigger isn’t necessarily better. Wines pandering to must weights, while ignoring the craft of winemaking, vineyard specificity and selective harvest have too long dominated America’s perception of German wine. This imposing ripeness is a result of both physiological development, due to record sunshine hours an early flowering and veraison which ran significantly ahead of the phenological norm. Our estates harvested almost nothing below Auslese. Hence, even Estate Rieslings (QbAs) will have the longevity of good Spätleses. Wines true to the lighter bodied Kabinett profile are rare in 2003, and something we’ll find again in another vintage. Indeed these 2003 wines are of another dimension, something extraordinary in the history of German wine. Even with the strong Euro, Estate Rieslings (QbAs) and Kabinetts will offer the consumer some of the greatest bargains in many a year. Underlying the richness and concentration of these 2003s, were prominent and crystalline displays of terroir in wines from all regions, in harmonious conjunction with forward fruit nuances from start to finish. They’ll be textbook examples for future classes reviewing vineyard or terroir differences. Some might critique the fruit structure as simple and broader, which is true to an extent when compared to the delineated fruit patina of past vintages. However, this does not mean they are in any way less complex, they are stylistically different. The fruit floats with a ghost-like presence, but is delivered to the palate with elegance and power. In the very best wines there is an incredible richness and mass that is absolutely intoxicating. Never have we seen wines float like this, incredibly delicate and ethereal at first, but then stuff your palate with succulent fruit and incredibly focused site-specific minerality.

Zilliken’s great Saarburger Rausch

2003 German Vintage

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Even in a high must / alcohol year these wines refuse to behave like other warmer climate wines. They retain their elegance and grace with the alcohol neatly disguised and refuse to devolve into obvious, bombastic puddles of goo so much of the planet has gotten used to being commonplace as a ripe fruit profile. Lower acidity does not deprive the wines of longevity especially if we have extraordinary ripeness as was the case in 1959. Many winemakers were eager to draw parallels with past lower acid vintages. It came as no surprise that while sifting through their recollections of viticultural history (often drawing upon parents’ memories) a reoccurring comparison was 1959. There were no memories of 1921, but looking at the weather data we suspect similarities exist with 2003 as well. At a number of our stops, for purposes of comparison, we were treated to wines from other low acid vintages such as 1976 and 1959. Wines from both vintages were fresh and vibrant with years of life ahead. 1976 is characterized by penetrating botrytis; while the 1959’s tend to be brighter with higher levels of ripeness with 100 more sunshine hours than 1976. Especially impressive was a 1959 Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberger Burgberg Feinste Auslese. As great as this wine still is, it is important to note the 2003 Karthäuserhof Spätlese has almost the same must weight as the 1959 Feinste Auslese. Going all the way back to 1900 (see table below) one

can see until 2003, 1921 had considerably more sunshine than any other vintage on record, 1827 sunshine hours total. 1921 was followed by 1947 (a very dry year - much less rain then 2003) with 1784 hours, 1959 with 1772 hours and 1976 with 1680 hours. With over 1900 sunshine hours 2003 had the highest readings in over 100 years, and most interestingly, also 1 gm/l more acidity than the great 1959 vintage. The antithesis to these very ripe vintages is 1996. Not nearly as ripe, the wines are carried by extraordinary acid levels. For the absolute long distance runner our bet is on the 2003’s. Good rainfall in December 02 and January 03 provided sufficient water to start vegetation on a positive note. February, with some rainfall, and March with a great deal of sunshine, was a precursor of what was to come. Bud break on 4/18 and 4/19 (in the Mosel and Rheingau respectively) was over 10 days ahead of normal. April frosts damaged very young vines only. Rains in Mid-May and especially the end of May replenished badly depleted water supplies that once again helped vegetation move forward. Scattered hail on 5/31 and 7/2 did little damage. Flowering was two weeks ahead of normal but under ideal conditions between June 3 and June 6. High temperatures and moderate rainfalls in the northern regions accelerated vegetation as never before. By the end of June the weather station at Geisenheim had recorded 1137 sunshine hours, versus the long term average of 840, and breaking a record which stood for more than 100 years.

Geisenheim Climate Chart Sunshine Hours January - September 1900 - 2003

Suns

hine

in h

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ean

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In times in which the focus of wine production has increasingly shifted to the cellar, in which the vineyards have mutated into agricultural surfaces capable of generating Öchsle degrees, and in which clever cellar techniques produce, at will, wines with taste profiles tailored to the market, it’s high time to turn our thoughts to terroir..... .....to acknowledge that wine is the expression of the interplay that has historically evolved between man, grape and vineyard .....to consciously focus on the roots of European wine culture .....to pay homage to the Riesling grape for its ability to magically transform the individual character of a specific vineyard into a unique, authentic taste experience. The criteria for wines from a classified site and from an “Erste Lage” reflect the characteristics of the terroirs on the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer. Compared with their counterparts “Erstes Gewächs” and “Grosses Gewächs”, the name “Erste Lage” signals a classification that focuses less on a particular type of wine and more on the distinctive characteristics of a particular vineyard. The diverse slate formations and microclimates of these world-renowned top sites comprise a whole spectrum of fascinating interpretations of terroir: full-bodied, dry QbA; light, subtle Kabinett; elegant, fruity Spätlese; and complex, lusciously sweet Auslese wines. All of the sites classified by the Grosser Ring Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (VDP regional association) were highly

esteemed in the classification initiated by Napoleon in 1802, and later in the classification completed by the Prussian administration. At present, 44 individual sites have been classified. Wines from classified sites are made exclusively from the Riesling grape. Only traditional methods of vinification are permitted and the goal is to bring forth wines with flavors that optimally reflect their respective terroirs. With regard to the Prädikat wines, all styles are possible. QbA wines that are made from grapes that have achieved a ripeness level of at least 80 degrees Öchsle must be vinified in a dry style. Wines that do not fulfil these criteria will be labeled with a proprietary name and / or the name of a village or region. Members have the option of producing top-quality wines in the category “Erste Lage.” The wines originate from the very finest, narrowly demarcated, classified top sites (or parcels thereof). The maximum yield is 50 hl/ha. For Prädikat wines the minimum is equivalent to that required for a Spätlese. Work in the vineyards is inspected regularly and all wines are sampled before the first release on September 1 the year after the harvest. Both “Erste Lage” and “Grosses Gewächs” can identified by this logo:

Text from official Erste Lage press release.

Mosel “Erste Lage” Classification

Average temperature for June was 8.5 Fahrenheit above normal. The heat and dryness in July caused some noticeable dry stress in many young vines and sunburn in exposed berries. Available water to the vine was becoming a matter of survival. Beginning of ripening, or veraison, between 8/1 and 8/2 was over a week ahead of 1976 (8/10) and three weeks ahead of normal. Veraison for 1984, an admittedly a poor vintage, was 9/16. The beginning of August brought 11 successive days of temperatures exceeding 95° F with a high of 104° F on 8/8. The water temperature in Lake Constance (Baden) climbed to 79° F, a temperature normally found in the Turkish Riviera, and the water level in September reached the lowest point since 1864. In the Rhein, never before seen sandbars began to randomly appear. By the end of September the record for sunshine hours, set in the great vintage of 1921, was broken. Because of the low acid levels and high pH values, Zone A for the first time ever was allowed limited acidification to the must and wine. This was mostly ignored by our growers. Dr. Manfred Prüm of Joh. Jos. Prüm put it best

when he said “nature helps itself”. The start of harvest in the Rheingau (9/22) and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (10/11) was deliberately delayed to improve physiological ripeness. In general the harvest went smoothly and quickly in many cases lasting only three weeks.

2003 BA & TBA selections at Bert Simon / Saar

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Vintage (Riesling)

2003

2002

2001

2000

Long Term Average

Bud Break

4/18

4/16

5/01

4/24

4/30

Flowering

6/06

6/15

6/22

6/09

6/20

Start of Ripening

8/02

8/26

8/23

8/23

9/01

Start of Harvest

10/11

10/29

10/26

10/15

10/14

Vintage

(Riesling)

2002

2001

2000

Long Term Average

Bud Break

4/14

4/29

4/22

4/25

Flowering

6/12

6/14

6/06

6/16

Start of Ripening

8/16

8/16

8/14

8/21

Start of Harvest

10/7

10/10

10/05

10/06

2003

4/19

6/02

7/28

9/25

Vintage (Riesling)

2003

2002

2001

2000

Long Term Average

Bud Break

4/19

4/22

4/30

4/23

4/29

Flowering

6/03

6/14

6/15

6/05

6/19

Start of Ripening

8/02

8/16

8/19

8/15

8/25

Start of Harvest

9/22

10/7

10/8

10/2

10/11

Phenological Data Mosel

Phenological Data Rheingau

Phenological Data Pfalz

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Always jovial Robert Eymael declares the wines produced at the Mönchhof in 2003 the best in his 20 year career and possibly ever at the estate. Harvest started in early October and he is expectedly quick to draw stylistic comparisons, like other winemakers, to 1959. Grapes during harvest were in perfect health. The volume in ‘03 is really turned up but there is also an incredible elegance the wines haven’t had in years past. Wines here are usually quite forward, especially in their youth, but the ‘03’s show a bit more restraint. All Prädikat levels were harvested, including a TBA at an Öchsle reading of 240 Öchsle, 360 RS, and 9.4 acid.

Robert Eymael

2003 Mönchhof Ürzig / Mosel

The Mönchhof

Spätlese

2003 Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese - Again has floral aromas with pear and peach, but a more defined hint of peppery terroir than the Kabinett. On the palate you find red fruits with ripe plump peaches, again sleek and polished. A fine, juicy acidity and marked mineral grit makes for an enticing finish. 100 Öchsle, 79 RS, 8.6 Acid

Auslese

2003 Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese - More typical Würzgarten aromas of iron and fresh peach, pear, cassis and iris. One senses the concentration picking up as exotic notes begin to rise from the iron as well, including hints of banana. Spicy peach and reduced pear, bright, tangy acids with firm minerality. 110 Öchsle, 93 RS, 8.4 Acid

2003 Erdener Treppchen Spätlese - Dimensionally very similar to the Würzgarten but more exotic. Unctuous peach, pear, juicy orange with ripe cherries. There is power and poise, with the fine, but assertive Treppchen dusty blue slate grip. Well-integrated acidity. 100 Öchsle, 76 RS, 8 gm/l acid

2003 Erdener Treppchen Auslese - Spiced pear, lemon zest and red fruits in the nose. Infused with mineral dusting and a lemony, peachy core. Long, chewy, minerally finish with elegant, lingering sweetness. Graceful in it’s style compared to the Würzgarten Auslese. 105 Öchsle, 87 RS, 8 Acid

2003 Erdener Prälat Auslese - Obvious pick up in weight over the Würzgarten and Treppchen Ausleses. Dense yellow fruit aromas with arresting hints of mint. Whiffs of creamy peach dominates the compact fruit aromatics and it sparkles with minerality. Ripe and bright yet still very young and compact. The form is focused, light-hearted and finely-tuned with firm mineral spine. 115 Öchsle, 90 RS, 7.5 Acid

Estate Riesling (QbA)

2003 Mönchhof Estate Riesling - White peach, cassis and tangerine aromas. Sweet ripe peaches, hints of pear and citrus held in check with subtle spice, 100% Ürziger Würzgarten fruit. 89 Öchsle, 51 RS, 8.5 Acid

Kabinett

2003 Mönchhof “Astor” Kabinett - More floral than the Estate Riesling, peach, orange zest and strawberries in the nose. Also finer and more delicate although from the same vineyard location. Offers good concentration for a Kabinett, with a spicy, shimmering finish. * Will be available as Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett in 2003. 94 Öchsle, 55 RS, 8.3 Acid

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Norbert Breit


2003 Wegeler Estate Riesling - Ripe aromas of peaches and red fruits. Bright sweet and juicy, and perfectly balanced. 91 Öchsle, 45 RS, 6.8 Acid.

Kabinett

2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett - Raspberry, peach and spicy accents in the nose. Sleek and silky texture around a restrained, spicy ripe center of peach, and melon. Sophisticated and refined. 89 Öchsle, 53 RS, 6.8 Acid.

Spätlese

2003 Wegeler Estate Spätlese - Soft iris bouquet flatters strawberry, peach and a twist of pineapple in the nose. Very sleek, but you’d guess it’s a smaller Mosel Auslese rather than a Spätlese. Elegant, but tremendous power. Peaches with a petrol spritz. A blend of Graacher Himmelreich and Bernkasteler Graben Spätleses. 95 Öchsle, 65 RS, 6.8 Acid.

2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese - Floral, raspberry, peach and pear bob in a cup of jasmine tea. The fine acid structure lifts the flavors of tropical punch with a squeeze of ripe cherries across the palate with a finely tooled, mineral basked finish. 94 Öchsle, 90 RS, 7 Acid.

Auslese and beyond

2003 Bernkasteler Doctor Auslese - Mango, white peach, apricot and orange are liberally doused in white pepper. Clear, clean and focused with a silky, fine texture, strung together with spicy tendrils of piquant soil. Boiling fruit solder at the core, buffed bright on the surface and crystalline pure. 104 Öchsle, 100 RS, 7.1 Acid.

2003 Bernkasteler Doctor BA - Dates, figs, mango, peach and melon rind. Highly perfumed, the slightest hint of rose petal sneaks by the wall of fruit gasses. Occasional silky morsels of apricot and mango nectar assert themselves on the palate. It is fantastically compact, with it’s caramel, honey, coco, and apricot notes. It needs so much more time to unweave itself and present more of the detailed fruit delineations which are currently overshadowed. 170 Öchsle

2003 Bernkasteler Doctor Spätlese - A petrol perfume influences the concentrated mango, peach, lime and cassis in the aromatics. Super ripe fruit, exceptionally rich, orange, banana and exotic notes on the palate. The finish continues to persist on the palate, a fine, elegant, lingering tropical breeze. Heroic, sublime Spätlese. 100 Öchsle, 95 RS, 7 Acid.

2003 Wegeler Bernkastel / Mosel

Add 2003 to Norbert Breit’s list of impressive accomplishments including the wines of 1997 and 2001. The wines in ‘97 had tremendous structure and that reoccurring, intriguing tropical fruit wardrobe, while the ‘01s were as filigreed and de-tailed as any of the best middle Mosel estates. 2003 represents another dimension in terms of structure and balance. Finely toned minerality and insurmountably rich fruit collide with precise, but incredible volume. During our tasting there was a unanimous opinion these were the best Bernkasteler Doctor and Wehlener Sonnenuhr wines we’ve ever had from this estate. While the Sonnenuhr wines are excellent, the Bernkasteler Doctor gems steal the show hands down. While there’s no mistaking these examples for anything other than 03s, they aren’t overdone, and manage to maintain a style that’s believable for each of the Prädikats selected. The Doctor Spätlese was our favorite, expensive yes, but a mind-boggler and worth every penny. If you looking for an impressive example without the Doctor price, give serious consid-eration to the brilliant Estate Spätlese which is a blend of Graacher Himmelreich and Bernkasteler Graben Spätleses, one of the best Spätlese values we will offer from the 03 vintage. The vintage also includes Doctor BA and TBA.

Add 2003 to Norbert Breit’s list of impressive accomplishments including the wines of 1997 and 2001. The wines in ‘97 had tremendous structure and that reoccurring, intriguing tropical character, while the ‘01s were as filigreed and detailed as any of the better middle Mosel estates. 2003 represents another dimension in terms of structure and balance. Finely toned minerality and insurmountably rich fruit collide with precise, but incredible volume. During our tasting there was a unanimous opinion these were the best Bernkasteler Doctor and Wehlener Sonnenuhr wines we’ve ever had from this estate. While the Sonnenuhr wines are excellent, the Bernkasteler Doctor gems steal the show. While there’s no mistaking these examples for anything other than 03s, they aren’t overdone, and manage to maintain a style that’s believable for each of the Prädikats selected. The Doctor Spätlese was our favorite, expensive yes, but a mind-boggler and worth every penny. If you are looking for an impressive example without the Doctor price, give serious consideration to the brilliant Estate Spätlese which is a blend of Graacher Himmelreich and Bernkasteler Graben Spätleses, one of the best Spätlese values from the 03 vintage. The vintage also includes a Doctor TBA 230 Öchsle.

Norbert Breit Bernkasteler Doctor

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2003 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlen / Mosel

Joh. Jos. Prüm is, of course, one of the most highly regarded names in all of German winemaking and definitely one of the most recognized names here in the American market. While we often lament other fine winemakers who are unrightfully overshadowed in our portfolio, we must contend the past few vintages have been absolutely worthy of all the continued accolades heaped upon the estate. As tempting as it would be to nominate 2003 as the frontrunner, we know Dr. Prüm would smile thoughtfully and finally say, “Yes, it is quite good but we should wait awhile and see.” And it will be easier to do so with Prüm’s wines than others, perhaps, because without fail we are offered older gems from his cellar each time we visit. This normally occurs in a series of blind tastings, and always with a clever kernel of wisdom or lesson to be learned lurking within the seemingly nonchalant agenda. With this experience we can say with great confidence we’ve not seen terroir so clearly expressed as in ‘03. Suffice it to say, the deliciously ripe fruit profiles never impede the focused expression of terroir. Dr. Prüm took us through a bevy of Kabinett, Spatlese and Auslese selections and the Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Graacher Himmelreich vineyard details are expressed with breathtaking clarity. Dr. Prüm feels ’03 is somewhat of a combination of ’59 and ’99. In ‘03 you will find there are some real surprises from lesser known Prüm sites, like the ‘03 Bernkasteler Badstube Spätlese, while the Sonnenuhr wines remain elegant and finely toned. The Graacher Himmelreich wines definitely have an edge in ‘03 when speaking of overall power and complexity. In addition to the wines below there are also ‘03 Sonnenuhr and Himmelreich TBAs at 250 Öchsle.

* There will only be a village Wehlener Kabinett in ’03, no Sonnenuhr or Himmelreich Kabinett was selected *

Kabinett

2003 Wehlener Kabinett - Shades of peach and red fruits in the aromas. Refreshing and zippy; predominate ripe apple and pear, balanced with sizzling acidity. Vibrant and elegant, as expected, with a whiff of smoky slate. Forward ripeness in nose but a restrained Kabinett on palate. 88 Öchsle.

Spätlese

2003 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese - Very bright and clear, concentrated and intense. Clean and refreshing, with hints of tropical Graach richness. Peach and cassis, lemony tart, elegant and fine with a layered minerality. There is a huge soil impact tossed with subtle tropical oils. Powerful and lush - super! 92 Öchsle.

2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese - A cuvee of two selections will create a batch of smoky, petrol aromas powdered with cocoa dust, nutmeg and an unctuous ripe, extracted peach and pear. One selection brings an elegant structure and sleek form, while the second offers the fruit stuffing. 92 Öchsle.

Auslese

2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese - Raspberry, peach and mineral-dusted aromas. Juicy orange and peach center, sleek and polished. Bright acidity, hint of honey. Complex layers of almond paste, orange peel and green herbs. Peach, raspberry, grapefruit and tea leaf. Earthy and long.

2003 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese - WOW - White peach and smoked earth, raspberry and sour lemon aromas. Juicy and tropical, hints of apricot, pineapple, and lemon rind. Bright acidity. Concentrated aromas, compact, tangerine and cocoa dust. Sweet core, clean tangy acids, long and mouth-watering.

Joh. Jos. Prüm Estate Dr. Manfred Prüm

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2003 Dr. F. Weins-Prüm Wehlen / Mosel

Dazzled as we were with 2001, it is once again tempting to pronounce Bert’s 2003 selections as “the” benchmark. We felt his ‘01s had an edge over ‘02, but ‘03 is sure to rival ‘01 for the top spot. To simply call Bert’s 03s mind-blowing, would be an understatement of monumental proportions. This collection will easily vie for the best ‘03 Mosel collection in our book. Harvest began on the 10th of October, ending a scant month later, November 3rd. Bert sees similarities with 1959 and 1947 in this vintage and freely admits to not having experience with any vintage like this in the past. Which is hard to believe once you try the wines. What is particularly impressive here is every wine selected is of exceptional quality, but the wines from the Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Graacher Himmelreich / Domprobst represent the heart and soul of his collection. It is difficult to judge if ‘01 or ‘03 is the “better” collection, but 2003 has stylish muscle not present in ‘01.


2003 Dr. F. Weins-Prüm Estate Riesling Medium-Dry - White peach, fragrant floral red berry aromas with a fine mineral perfume. More mineral extraction than usual. Ripe pear and grapefruit. Sleek. Expressive as well as detailed. Mouthwatering, great length and extract for a QbA. 93 Öchsle chaptalized to 100 Öchsle, 17 RS, 6.8 Acid.

Kabinett

2003 Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett - Floral hints and pear skin push through, along with a grind of white pepper and hint of cassis. It flows like an ’03 on the palate, ample power, but also seems more filigreed than others tasted previously. Ripe yet restrained, fine and delicate. 93 Öchsle, 50 RS, 7.3 Acid. 2003 Graacher Domprobst Kabinett - Fresh citrus, peach, cassis and a peel of banana slip by the nose. Dazzling lightness and grace; unbelievably bright with a shimmering river of pure pear, apple and red fruits layered with ashy soil textures. Trim acidity. Beautiful Kabinett. 94 Öchsle, 48 RS, 7 Acid.

2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett - White peach, pear while fine slate notes whisper in the back. Very concentrated mid-palate with the fruit pushing hard for attention, glowing with pear, peach and apricot. Pick up just a tease of red fruits. Great length and power but delivered absolutely effortlessly. 94 Öchsle, 53 RS, 6.9 Acid.

Spätlese

2003 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese - Intense mineral dominates the nose, white pepper and other pungent spices and a pinch of mint. Bright and ripe with prototypical Spätlese form. Wonderful lime tang, red fruits, and orange zest. Great structure and seamless harmony. 98 Öchsle, 73 RS, 6.8 Acid.

2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese - Typical Sonnenuhr, more calm, centered aromas of lemon, papaya and banana skin than you find in the Himmelreich. Richly textured on the palate; it just exudes breed and elegance. Excellent concentration with pear and grapefruit notes dominating. Finishes with finely detailed Sonnenuhr mineral. 99 Öchsle, 78 RS, 6.8 Acid.

Auslese

2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese - Tropical aromas along with a touch of cherry and date, in conjunction with the very fine mineral slate detail depicts classic Wehlener Sonnenuhr. So pure with such explosive power on the palate. As close to a perfectly styled Mosel Auslese we’ve seen. So bright and light. It expands on the palate with a rush of tropical fruit. A burnt, ashy minerality holds on throughout. Stunning. 101 Öchsle, 92 RS, 6.8 Acid.

2003 Dr. F. Weins-Prüm selections also include Erdener Prälat Spätlese / Auslese, Graacher Himmelreich Auslese, Graacher Domprobst Auslese and Wehlener Sonnenuhr LGKA

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Bert Selbach

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There are similarities between Thomas Haag, owner / winemaker at Schloss Lieser, and Bert Selbach at Dr. F. Weins-Prüm. They both live the shadows of giants; Thomas in his father’s shadow, Wilhelm Haag, of Fritz Haag fame, and Bert Selbach’s neighbor is none other than Dr. Manfred Prüm at Joh. Jos. Prüm. Their personalities are, not surprisingly, more reserved, but at the same time full of conviction and passion despite their more famous neighbors and family. If we were to use one descriptor for Schloss Lieser’s ‘03 collection it would be pure. The wines glow on the palate with a brightness and purity unlike anything ever offered by Schloss Lieser. The acids here were lower than usual, but in keeping with the vintage’s profile. The 2003 Schloss Lieser Estate Riesling was picked at an amazing 95 Öchsle, and will be limited to a scant 500 cases this year. Spätleses came in between 6 and 7 grams per liter. Here is an estate to illustrate: IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE ACID! Also note we can no longer separate Thomas from his father by simply comparing the deeper soils of the Niederberg Helden with the slate details of the Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr as means to characterize their winemaking differences. In addition to the Helden, Thomas can now flex the Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr bicep, with an extremely limited amount of ‘03 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spätlese coming to the US market.

Kabinett

2003 Schloss Lieser Kabinett - Pungent floral aromas shaded with cassis, grapefruit, pear and petrol. A stony, broad mouthful. Textural, balanced and long with lingering peach and red fruits. 98 Öchsle, 45 RS, 6.5 Acid.

Spätlese

2003 Estate Spätlese - The Graach property in this cuvee adds a splash of tropical verve, which sets it aside from the sleeker more compact Helden Spätlese. Still there is that customary extracted petrol perfume. Exotic papaya and pineapple mix with peach extract, proving this sum is greater than its parts. 100 Öchsle, 65 RS, 6.2 Acid.

2003 Niederberg Helden Spätlese - Peach, deep earth aromas in the nose. Lurking inside the spicy earth, one finds a ripe pear core, and as with many of the Mosel Spätleses tasted, one of the most elegant Spätleses ever selected at Lieser. Compact with trim acidity and a long, smoky texture. 100 Öchsle, 65 RS, 6.5 Acid.

Auslese and Beyond

2003 Niederberg Helden Auslese - Dark soils, red fruits and pear skin aromas. Round, spicy, compact and sleek. Hints of exotic fruit and tea leaf. On the palate it is remarkably focused and polished with no botrytis. Great ripeness, with an almost magical lightness and purity for an Auslese. 105 Öchsle, 90 RS, 6.5 Acid.

2003 Niederberg Helden Auslese ** (GKA) - Hints of rose petal, coffee and soil. Coconut, pear and ashy minerals. Very sleek, again like the previous Auslese, it maintains the pure and ethereal quality. More concentration, but still very little if any botrytis, adding hints of orange and smoky raspberry to the Auslese profiles. 112 Öchsle, 110 RS, 6.5 Acid. 2003 Niederberg Helden Auslese *** (LGKA) - Treading close to BA territory, a marked pick up in concentration. Pear essence and yellow peach dominate with light caramel notes denoting a dose of healthy botrytis. Quite extracted, finely tuned mineral structure. A woody spice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Powerful and haunting. 118 Öchsle, 130 RS, 6.5 Acid.

2003 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spätlese - Lime, peach and petrol aromas decorate the finely articulated ashy soil notes with a fresh, minty twist. Intense, chewable concentration poured into a sleek form…fruit fuel, mineral dust …powerful but trim. VERY LIMITED.

2003 Schloss Lieser Lieser / Mosel

Thomas Haag Schloss Lieser Estate

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With what has been said so far it seems redundant to continue the tirade. Wilhelm Haag is one of the most important players in the Mosel - if not all of German winemaking. You will notice similarities in the Fritz Haag wines with those at Schloss Lieser in regard to their particularly pure and ripe fruit structures. The differences lay in the soil types; with the Juffer and Juffer Sonnenuhr displaying fine slate details and Niederberg Helden displaying deeper, dark earthen notes. The ‘03 Estate Riesling is a first-rate example of how enchanting better QbA’s can be, with the deft Haag hand guiding the wine through fermentation. This Estate Riesling offers pin point balance and incredible structure for a “lowly” QbA. There is a dramatic change at Haag with the end of the Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Kabinett. Starting with 2003 there will only be Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett. In previous vintages the Juffer did not have the layers or stuffing of the Sonnenuhr Kabinett, in ’03 we are happy to report you will find the Juffer has more flesh and mineral stuffing. Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr selections will now begin with the Spätlese Prädikat level and continue up through TBA if the vintage allows. ‘03 Juffer Sonnenuhr selections are not as bold (aromatically) in their fruit as ’01 or ’02, but as with many top wines from this remarkable vintage, offer an elegant, composed crystalline glimpse to the fine, flinty slate soil. There is an ‘03 Juffer Sonnenuhr TBA, harvested at 240 Öchsle, which will be offered at the VDP auction. However the wines are analyzed, 2003 again provides proof the Juffer Sonnenuhr is one of the greatest vineyard properties in Germany and Wilhelm Haag possesses the heart and soul of it.


2003 Fritz Haag Estate Riesling – Floral aromas spotlight a display of orange, pear and red fruit with interwoven sniffs of mineral dust. Fine and lean. Grapefruit, lime and raspberry shine through a mineral driven structure. Despite having 22 gm/l residual sugar the wine finishes medium dry. 90 Öchsle, 22 RS.

Kabinett

2003 Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett - Richer than Juffer Kabinetts of the past. Tangerine, pear, peach in the aromas. Surprisingly it manages to hit a red raspberry high note usually reserved for the more concentrated Sonnenuhr Kabinett. Cassis, pear and citrus flavors, sleek and zippy; toothy with nips of slate and stones. 89 Öchsle, 44 RS.

Spätlese

2003 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spätlese - More filigreed in style than the Estate Riesling and Kabinett, displaying petrol fanned raspberry, cassis and spiced white peach aromas. Ripe but elegant, with a floating core of ghostly fruit shadows on the palate. Ethereal pear exhaust and slate dust on the finish, definitely not as fruit forward as 2001 or 2002, and with greater dimension and power than 1999. Delicate scrimshaw of detailed fruit designs. 93 Öchsle, 85 RS.

Auslese and beyond

2003 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese # 6 - An unbelievably clear view of the Sonnenuhr soil in this selection. While a bit closed at the time of tasting (Feb.04), there is no doubt the fruit will surface, but for now it displays light aromas with occasional soft floral notes. One easily senses the ripe, round and shimmering quality. On the palate there is a burst of tropical fruit and orange condensation after a lightning storm of bristling acid bolts and smacking flinty mineral claps. 95 Öchsle

2003 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr GKA # 9 - More muscle found here than in the previous Auslese. The aromas are somewhat more reserved than you’d expect, with lemons, pear and wet slate and stones. On the palate there is a compact concentration of sour lemon, white peach, pear, white pepper and a smear of almond paste. The current of focused slate terroir in this wine is breath taking. Very delicate, but with a lingering grace. 102 Öchsle

2003 Fritz Haag Brauneberg / Mosel

Wilhelm Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr

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Theo is notorious for showing a line up of various tank samples with no exact answer as to what will happen. But this is an estate you can trust to provide some of the best wines of the Mosel despite our lack of notes at present. Blame the methodical, careful slow fermentation and selection of cuvees…at least someone in Piesport is paying attention! In addition to the excellent collection, the big news here is the Erste Lage classification, see page 4, which essentially restricts the sale of Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen wines to only Erste Lage bottlings. Feel free to either rejoice or begin banging your head steadily against the wall. You will no longer see a bottle of Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Spätlese, or Auslese, without the Erste Lage logo. What does this mean to Reinhold Haart fans? Basically your beloved Goldtröpfchen wines may cost a little more, but you’ll drink a more complex, slightly more concentrated version of the wine than the pre-Erste Lage selections. The Erste Lage selection ensures only the very best of Haart’s Riesling makes it into the Piesporter Goldtröpfchen bottling. Some barrels that may have traditionally made the grade for Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Spätlese will now be declassified and bottled as Reinhold Haart Piesporter Spätlese, with no vineyard designation.

Estate Riesling

2003 Haart to Heart Estate Riesling - Fresh, with nuances of orange and an exotic note tending toward mango. On the palate it’s bright, with juicy pear and a liberally spiced minerality. The fine mineral detail helps keep the RS in check and makes the wine show medium dry on the palate, although it has 24 gm/l residual sugar. Excellent balance.

Spätlese

2003 Piesporter Spätlese - Toasted coconut and cocoa aromas dominate the nose. Spicy, round and lush with sizzling raspberry, pear and cocoa dust on the palate. A shift from 5th to 4th gear compared to the Goldtröpfchen, but still stealing the inside lane. Unfinished at time of tasting.

Auslese and beyond

2003 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen LGKA - Coffee, cocoa and dark soils notes in the aroma. Apricot, date, and brown sugar with concentrated, spiced pear afloat. Very fine, and elegant. Hints of caramel, with smoky notes. Great power and richness, to be released as an Auction wine only.

Reinhold Haart’s 2003 offering will consist of the following wines: 2003 Reinhold Haart “Haart to Heart” Riesling 2003 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Kabinett 2003 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Spätlese 2003 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Domherr Spätlese 2003 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Spätlese - Erste Lage 2003 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Auslese - Erste Lage 2003 Reinhold Haart Wintricher Ohligsberg Spätlese - Erste Lage 2003 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen LGKA - Erste Lage (Auction only) 2003 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen TBA - Erste Lage (Auction only) - 210 Öchsle

2003 Reinhold Haart Piesport / Mosel

Erste Lage Labels The Haart family - Edith, Theo and Johannes

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2003 Milz-Laurentiushof Trittenheim / Mosel

Marcus Milz joins legion with those winemakers finding a comparison to 1959. He started harvest early on September 22nd, with the intention of capturing the correct profile for Kabinett selections. His efforts succeeded, and he has a very good ‘03 Piesporter Hofberg Kabinett to offer because of them. Overall yield, a meager 40 hl/ha. Marcus has an impressive array of wines from Kabinett to BA including Eiswein. For those of you whom aren’t aware, the Milz wines represent incredible value when compared with other estates. The wines always display great concentration as well as finesse and focused vineyard terroirs from the steep slopes around the picturesque village of Trittenheim. Values abound in 2003, with wines such as the Trittenheimer Felsenkopf Spätlese passing as Auslese in any other vintage.

Kabinett

2003 Piesporter Hofberg Kabinett - Although it was selected in late September, this Kabinett does not lack physiological ripeness in any way. In the aromatics, it’s as if a fragrant box of pears is being waved under your nose. Ripe white peaches on the palate. Bright, crisp citrus notes wrapped with a subtle mineral dusting. Plump ripeness tempered with appropriate acidity.

Spätlese

2003 Trittenheimer Apotheke Spätlese - Dense tropical and citrus aromas. Fresh squeezed orange and peach, tremendous richness, refreshingly balanced acidity.

2003 Trittenheimer Felsenkopf Spätlese - Seems to be the most concentrated of the three Spätlese offerings. The explosive nose is awash in yellow peach fruit, minerally aromas and hint of apricot. On the palate the wine is a bit leaner than the nose indicates. Cassis, smoky terroir influences, and spiced peach. Tart and refreshing.

2003 Trittenheimer Leiterchen Spätlese - Again, easily mistaken for an Auslese in terms of concentration. Lime and pure pineapple infused mineral aromas dominate the nose. Ripe, peachy, citrus with a red cherry core, plump and round. Creamy yet elegant. Clean acids and firm, fine minerality, balanced with a well-trimmed finish.

Auslese and beyond

2003 Trittenheimer Apotheke Auslese - Hyper-ripe tropical, grapefruit, banana and tangerine aromas dominate. Pineapple, pear, spiced juicy concentrate. Silky and ripe. Fine minerality, balanced acidity with a slight mushroom hint on the finish. Excellent balance, similar in structure to the Leiterchen Spätlese.

2003 Trittenheimer Leiterchen GKA - Creamy aromas with a hint of caramel and mineral dust. Cashew, saffron dust and bright honeyed notes. Dark earthy flavors preside over layers of apricot, almond paste and cassis. Excellent mineral details, and with a long dusty finish.

2003 Trittenheimer Apotheke BA - Finely toned BA, not the dense implosion of dried fruits you might expect. Spicy aromas override the smell of fresh cut celery. With more time the wine opens to reveal a harvest seasoned with sweet brown sugar, coco, and tempting pure caramel aromas. On the palate there is condensed pear, raspberry, date, marzipan, saffron…AND pineapple, mango, apricot and cherries. Very elegant. Amazing.

2003 Trittenheimer Apotheke Eiswein - unavailable to taste. 148 Öchsle, picked at –9 Celsius.

Markus Milz Trittenheimer Apotheke

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Mr. Tyrell has been on a serious expedition of late…when he’s not bagging hungry, grape eating wild boar on the vineyard slopes, that is (he nabbed 70+ last year). No, this safari has revolved around amassing some of the finest wines in the Ruwer the last forty years. As each vintage continues topping the last, there appears renewed interest in these great, gritty, iron-rich wines hailing from Eitelsbach. The portfolio in 2003 will certainly continue to attract a legion of new fans. In a tight, telescopic sight of just one month (October 10th to November 6th) Christoph brought in an exceptional collection of wines, and on December 9th an Eiswein was also selected. He feels, especially up through Auslese, the ‘03s surpass even the great ‘59s from his estate. He also feels it is, specifically, modern cellar technology that separates the two vintages, giving 2003 a bull's-eye balance and structure with just 6 - 7 gm/l acidity. Once again, there is phenomenal value in a monopole Spätlese selection masquerading as an Estate Riesling medium-dry (QbA). Nothing was harvested under Auslese must weight with selections ranging from Estate Riesling to Eiswein.


2003 Karthäuserhof Estate Riesling Medium-Dry - Cassis and fresh cut pineapple aromas. Exotic, multidimensional layers of pungent spices and a lush, ripe fruit core of raspberry and citrus. Ghostly hints of lilac persist through a solid grip of minerality.

Kabinett

2003 Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Spätlese - Iron clad white peach. Hints of grapefruit, very ripe. Citrus and red fruits weave in and out of the mineral structure. Excellent weight and power, again that ethereal ‘03 trait, packed with white peach and lime. The finish is classic Karthäuserhof, dusty soil sprinkled around the dominate iron notes.

Auslese & beyond

2003 Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Auslese - Beginning signs of botrytis, traces with acacia honey, and whiffs of burnt sugar. Grapefruit spritz on the palate, with a prominent cloud of mineral dust. Sweet tropical concentration, dark honey, toasted coconut, pine needles and menthol. Tangy acids spin away within a juicy fabric.

2003 Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg GKA # 43 - More focused iron minerality throughout the many fruits present here of pineapple, lemon lime, raspberries, yellow peach, apricot, guava, and a concentrated citrus zest. The silky fruit structure floats in a cradle of minerals, including a long lasting finish - wonderful harmonious, sumptuous Riesling. A Rudi Wiest Selections exclusive. 104 Öchsle, 98 RS, 6.2 Acid

2003 Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Kabinett - Faint hints of iron mineral in the nose with a tinge red fruit and grapefruit similar to the '02 but with greater volume. On the palate, the dense concentration of fruit is wrapped around a dusty core of iron minerals. Great structure and balance throughout finishing elegantly almost in a Medium-Dry style.

Spätlese

2003 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbach / Ruwer

Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Christoph Tyrell

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Unique and true to its terriors as always, both the Oberemmeler Hütte and Scharzhofberger soils clearly flaunt their distinctive identities; the Hütte elegant and dusty and the Scharzhofberger packed with gritty minerality. The vintage here consisted primarily of Spätlese level must weights. Even the basic "Balduin von Hövel" Estate Riesling was picked at an incredible level of concentration, 90 Öchsle! The Kabinett and Spätlese selections were all picked in the mid 90 Öchsle range, with the final classifications of Prädikat resulting more from concentration and complexity than the actual must weights. von Kunow also joins the consensus in finding parallels with the ’59 vintage. Eberhard’s son, Max, got his feet wet (not from rain) this vintage and will continue to become more involved with wine making at the estate.

2003 von Hövel Oberemmel / Saar

Eberhard von Kunow Oberemmeler Hütte


2003 "Balduin von Hövel" Estate Riesling - Soft floral, pear and orange aromas. Pear, peach and raspberry, bright and juicy, all wrapped in a firm minerality and long, silky texture. 90 Öchsle, 45 RS, 7.5 Acid

Kabinett

2003 Oberemmeler Hütte Kabinett - Or is it a Spatlese? The heady perfume of pineapple, raspberry and cinnamon spiced peach cobbler is no surprise coming from 94 Öchsle. Ripe pear and smoky cherry fruit, ripe and plump yet breezy, clean and light. Elegant texture with a sprinkle of the every so delicate Hütte dust on the finish.

New "Balduin von Hövel" Estate Riesling label —>

Spätlese

2003 Oberemmeler Hütte Spätlese - Floral, pear, and steely white peach aromas. Almost identical must weight as the Kabinett, ~ 95 Öchsle, but with better concentration and a tick firmer acid structure. The palate is rich with pear, peach, raspberry and citrus backed by a vivid minerality. 95 Öchsle, 60 RS, 7.5 Acid

2003 Scharzhofberger Spätlese - One of von Hövel’s best Scharzhofbergers thus far, the big brother of the Hütte in ‘03. This Spätlese is heavily extracted, packed with wonderfully gritty soil and nuances of slate. Dense and chewy pear fruit; providing a stylish juxtaposition to the more elegant and delicate style of the Hütte. 95 Öchsle, 60 RS, 7.5 Acid

Auslese

2003 Oberemmeler Hütte Auslese - The aromas are calm with hints of pineapple and cherry. On the palate there is juicy grapefruit, peach and raspberry balanced with refreshing acidity and ashy earth toned terroir. A second, unfinished tank provided a glimpse of yet another potential dimension of a cuvee with aromas of pineapple, lime and soil. Tropical fruit, lime and sour lemon flavors brushed with dusty vineyard grit were dominate in the still fermenting tank.

In addition to the selections tasted above, von Hövel will also offer a very limited quantity of these four wines:

2003 Scharzhofberger Kabinett 2003 Scharzhofberger Auslese 2003 Oberemmeler Hütte BA (375) 2003 Oberemmeler Hütte Eiswein (375) - 115 Öchsle, 100 RS, 10 Acid

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Hanno Zilliken shares our enthusiasm for the region’s success and feels 2003 is the greatest vintage in the estate’s history, surpassing even the fabulous ’76 and ’83 vintages. He feels there are similarities in structure and extract to 1959, but feels acidity is physiologically riper in 2003. Once again we feel inclined to repeat the last two years’ exclamations: the Rausch rules with Hanno as Master and Commander! We have to note, that some us even feel it may be the best collection in all of Germany this year. The red and brown loam, along with weathered Devonian slate, have given us a true gift in 2003. These are wines with an amazing lightness and purity, but their power invades the palate so effortlessly. Despite the swirl of dimensions, the wines maintain a focus and fine detailed mineral structure that will simply leave you breathless. 2002 was the first vintage for Zilliken’s new “Butterfly” Estate Riesling Medium Dry, setting it aside from his fruity QbA (which is still available in smaller quantities), and it was a huge hit. We sold out before the vintage could change! We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused those of you who were quick to recognize the incredible value in this newcomer. It will be worth the wait for the new vintage, guaranteed!

2003 Zilliken Saarburg / Saar

Saarburg from the Rausch Hanno Zilliken


2003 Zilliken “Butterfly” Medium-Dry - Fresh floral aromas spun with pear and cassis tickle the nose. White peach, orange and lemon fill out the palate with the subtle warmth of a clove-spiced terroir. Tart and clean, with sleek composition and that expected Saar minerality throughout. 87 chapatalized to 97 Öchsle, 20 RS, 7.7 Acid

Kabinett

2003 Saarburger Rausch Kabinett - Tangerine and lemon-lime aromas along with cassis. Firm and sleek with a ripe juicy core of pear and red fruits. Tangy and limey-tart with bright mineral balance. Super. 91 Öchsle, 46 RS, 7.7 Acid

Spätlese

2003 Saarburger Rausch Spätlese - Fragrant floral, pear, white peach, raspberry and cherry aromas. Round and ripe yet cut fine with brilliant clarity. A sweet focused rock of compact fruit shines beneath impeccably detailed and focused flint minerality, elegant and bright within the setting of sparkling acidity. The balance, power and volume in this Spätlese is awesome. 100 Öchsle, 67 RS, 8.2 Acid

Auslese & beyond

2003 Saarburger Rausch Auslese - Dramatic pick up in intensity from the Spätlese. Silky and round, light and fine, with a steady flow of sweet red raspberry, smoked papaya, strawberry, orange, and iris floral notes all in an effortless, creamy breeze. Delicate tealeaf flavors finish with tangy, sparkling clean length. 107 Öchsle, 95 RS, 8.0 Acid 2003 Saarburger Rausch GKA - 120 Öchsle, 120 RS, 8.2 Acid, 100% botrytis, a negative selection of BA and TBA.

Auction Wines

2003 Auction Wines - Available from Zilliken for sale exclusively at the VDP auction in Trier (September ‘04). Please contact Cellars International directly if you have interest in any of these selections - 800.596.9463.

2003 Saarburger Rausch Auslese - Auction 2003 Saarburger Rausch LGKA - Auction 2003 Saarburger Rausch BA - Auction 2003 Saarburger Rausch TBA - Auction

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Spätlese

2003 Serriger Würtzberg Spätlese - Incredibly ripe, exotic, with great depth. Pear, red fruit, orange zest, and fig along with white pepper and gun-powdery terroir layered with an inviting aroma of toasted oats. Silky, round and fine…pear, raspberry and citrus…tart, balanced acids. Elegant with hidden power. 100 Öchsle, 63 RS, 6.6 Acid

Auslese and beyond

2003 Serriger Herrenberg Auslese - Nose hints of fig, and pear. Round, creamy and dense structure. Orange, papaya, freshly cored pineapple, banana and nectarous peach. Light with bright acidity and firm mineral presence throughout, with an elegant slate Herrenberg finish. 113 Öchsle, 120 RS, 7.0 Acid

2003 Serriger Würtzberg Auslese * (GKA) - This is a monster Auslese. Packed with yellow fruit, it’s very young and concentrated at this point. A splash of apricot nectar and pear blossom. There is great concentration of peach and strawberry, so dense and compact, but with bright fresh acidity. Also, long and fine like its sibling vineyard’s offering. A fantastic selection from a very specialized terrior-itory. 122 Öchsle, 115 RS, 7.0 Acid

2003 Serriger Würtzberg Auslese ** (LGKA) - Yikes…a major step up in weight. Match stick terroir and scorched earth. Honeyed notes ~ 30% botrytis. Despite the head-spinning mineral structure, the palate is washed in elegant spiced orange, coco, caramel, raspberry, nutmeg and petrol-fume. Juicy, long and fine. 128 Öchsle, 125 RS, 7.0 Acid

2003 Serriger Würtzberg BA - Intensely spiced, great fruit and mineral delineation in the aromatics. Driving floral note, very compact. Hints of caramel, layers of juicy apricot and peach. Easily one of the best BAs from the 2003 vintage for the money. 160 Öchsle, 170 RS, 12 Acid

2003 Serriger Herrenberg TBA - Fine whiffs of mint and slate. Daunting concentration. The palate is delivered a bundle of bees wax, honey, date, fig, brown sugar, coco, and hints of chocolate. It will need time to really unfold, but if the current essences are any guide, it will be a TBA that will mature quite agreeably. 230 Öchsle, 300 RS, 10 Acid

2003 Bert Simon Serrig / Saar

Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg

Bottom line, a vintage like this comes along once in a lifetime for Bert Simon, and we are as thrilled as he is. The Serriger Würtzberg and Herrenberg vineyards are arguably some of the greatest vineyards in the Saar, and 2003 provides the stage for this performance to run all season long. Like elsewhere in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, the vintage here was just too good for Kabinett. There was no opportunity to pick at normal Kabinett must weights with the harvest essentially starting at 100 Öchsle and these selections will be appropriately bottled as Spätlese. Bert was earlier than most to start harvest at September 17th, and finished on October 19th. There was ample quantity of all Prädikat selections produced from Spätlese through TBA and the results are amazing. The Würtzberg creations are particularly compelling. As to be expected, these are still the absolute best values to be had for the money. Frankly, we’re mystified how these wines continue to fly under the radar…single vineyard monopole upper Prädikat selections for what many charge for a Kabinett. Please do not overlook Bert Simon’s 2003 collection, there is something very special here that does not come around too often. Please also note the new Bert Simon labels. The Estate Riesling label (above with color) and the single vineyard Serriger Würtzberg / Herrenberg label pictured on the right.

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“2001 and 2002 are very good vintages…2003 is a great vintage.” exclaimed Wilhelm Weil. Simple enough. When reviewing their recent history, it’s arresting to consider the consistency of Robert Weil and how clear it is that this estate has evolved into one of the dominate forces in the Rheingau. Producing a TBA for fourteen years running is somewhat of an indicator of that as well, perhaps, this particular vintage boasts two TBA selections at 240 Öchsle and 316 Öchsle. As an estate notorious for heavy declassification, the 2003s here are refreshingly elegant, and more classically tooled. The harvest began September 23rd, the earliest start in Weil’s history. Not only did temperatures soar unusually high for the first two weeks of harvest, the night temperatures remained blessedly cool. Hence, the estate is one of the exceptions to lower acidity this vintage; acidity in the finished wines ranges from 8.5 gm/l to 14 gm/l natural acidity…a whip cracker for 2003. Beside a little help from some reasonable evening temperatures, the geography of the Weil’s vineyards, particularly the stony, steep Gräfenberg, was key in water management as the daytime temperatures continued to soar. Deeply set root systems were able to quench thirsts with their exceptional reach. Weil’s collection this year exudes that reoccurring ghost-like fruit profile of the vintage. It’s hard to pick favorites here; the fact is that all the Kiedricher Gräfenberg wines rank among the best we tasted in 2003.


2003 Estate Riesling Dry - White peach and fine mineral in the nose. Bright and textural and on the palate. Lemon and stony pear fruit notes mix with subtle strawberry hints. The mouth-watering acidity keeps you sipping. 89 Öchsle.

Kabinett

2003 Estate Kabinett Medium Dry - Fresh pear aromas. Ripe center of raspberry and peach…lemony tart. A fine mineral skeleton, superbly balanced by crisp acidity and finishes refreshingly dry. 93 Öchsle.

Spätlese

2003 Estate Spätlese - Ripe, compact aromas of cassis, peach and mango. Silky rich core…a seamless and ethereal form anchored with tangy tart acidity. Lingering cherries, peach and apricot cough up a mineral dust cloud. 99 Öchsle.

2003 Kiedricher Gräfenberg Spätlese - Finely tuned nose, not the alpha male Spätlese of vintages past. Refined, with great concentration, and no botrytis. On the palate there are peach and cassis notes, with lingering scoops of minerals. Great balance and refinement. 107 Öchsle, 100 RS, 10 Acid

Auslese and beyond

2003 Kiedricher Gräfenberg Auslese - Offers a HUGE pick up in concentration over the Spätlese. Yellow peach, orange, cocoa and mushroom aromas. If a honey can be delicate and fine, this is it. Silky, dense and round. Bright juicy peach, apricot and cassis with earthy shakes of cocoa powder. A textural experience. 125 Öchsle, 150 RS, 11.5 Acid

2003 Kiedricher Gräfenberg BA - Pure, bright honey notes, 100% botrytis. Apricot, hints of fig, mushroom, fine spices and persistent mineral. Power and concentration, but the 12 gm/l acid really lift the wine, giving it incredible tact for Weil BA. 190 Öchsle, 250 RS, 12 Acid

2003 Kiedricher Gräfenberg TBA - The “little” TBA - Weil has one more at 316 Öchsle. More yellow gold in color than the BA, which indicates full blown botrytis. A flood of apricot aromas invade your senses, but with wonderful green mint high notes, with tea and saffron floating in the background. As expected it oozes onto your palate. Caramel cream, orange notes, apricot, great length, but still elegant. 240 Öchsle, 382 RS, 13.5 Acid

2003 Robert Weil Kiedrich / Rheingau

Robert Weil Estate Wilhelm Weil

Page 19


Gunter Künstler, like many vintners in the Rheingau in 2003 has come up with a stacked deck. The harvest includes all Prädikat levels, with no less than five different TBA selections. The TBAs hail from the Hochheimer Hölle at 165 Öchsle, Hochheimer Kirchenstück at 190 Öchsle, Hochheimer Stielweg at 208 Öchsle, Hochheimer Hölle at 210 Öchsle, and finally a 230 Öchsle selection from the Hochheimer Domdechaney. Künstler will also be noting, when applicable, the “old vine” selections on wines such as the Hochheimer Stielweg Spätlese Dry. Other changes in 2003 include a Hochheimer Reichestal Kabinett with less residual sugar than in previous vintages. The lower RS helps provide a more interesting balance between soil and fruit, something that we missed a bit in the 2002 version. We are also very excited about the new Estate Riesling from Künstler. He has specially crafted for us a fruity style 2003 Estate Riesling to join his medium-dry, or halbtrocken, Estate Riesling. Gunter produced a small amount of this wine in 2002 and we tested it in a few select markets across the country. It was a big success and was obvious that we would need more wine for the 2003 vintage. This is a compelling Qualitätswein, bottled with a screw cap, that exceeds any expectations for an entry level wine.


2003 Estate Riesling - There are broad, juicy apricot and peach flavors interlaced with a spicy minerality, tongue clicking acids and an alluring hint of porcini mushrooms in the clean finish. Very nicely balanced throughout.

Kabinett

2003 Hochheimer Reichestal Kabinett - Pear and floral aromas with hints of riper fruits evolving. Bright, juicy center of ripe peach and cherry with tangy citrus acid and chewy deep soil flavors. 94 Öchsle, 50 RS, 8.0 Acid

Spätlese

2003 Hochheimer Kirchenstück Spätlese - Lemony aromas compete with peach, cassis and a fine cocoa powder terroir. Intense and compact, 50 year old vines, showing obvious soil extractions dotted with cinnamon spice. Peachy fresh with a touch of celery anchored by darker fruit and dirt components. Very long, focused finish. 105 Öchsle, 110 RS, 8.0 Acid

Auslese and beyond

2003 Hochheimer Kirchenstück Auslese - More characteristic bright peach, cassis, and lemon zest despite the dense concentration. Peach and cherry illuminate the palate while apricot and banana throw a darker shade over the spicy mineral spread. 80% botrytis, round, juicy and finely knit acidity. 124 Öchsle, 140 RS, 9.3 Acid

2003 Hochheimer Kirchenstück TBA - Raspberry jam, apricot nectar and cocoa dusty dirt allow hints of violets to squeak by in the nose. Viscous but with stirring acidity. Richly spiced honey, orange and apricot. Layered Kirchenstück mineral density with great agile promise. 190 Öchsle

2003 Hochheimer Stielweg Spätlese Dry “Old Vines” - Delicate iris, lemon and pear aromas. Minerally spiced from the start and throughout. Firm with mouth-widening textures and long, satisfying hints of cassis, pear and marzipan. 100 Öchsle, 8 RS, 7.5 Acid

2003 Hochheimer Hölle Auslese - Angelic iris perfume, lemons, pear and cocoa dust…from a vineyard named Hell? Super concentrated juice brick core with a laser-etched acid structure; cocoa spiced earth brownies sizzle with hidden secrets. 90% botrytis. 115 Öchsle, 9.7 Acid

2003 Franz Künstler Hochheim / Rheingau

Gunter Künstler Hochheimer Kirchenstück

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With the 2003 vintage, the Wegeler wines should open more eyes while achieving long deserved breakthroughs with the press. The Bernkasteler Doctor from the Mosel property already has a loyal following. There is a familiar reverberation of purity and elegance found in their Mosel wines, yet the Rheingau wines even though more baroque in structure, still possess a Mosel like filigreed and refined profile. No surprise since cellarmaster Oliver Haag hails from the great Fritz Haag estate in Brauneberg. Owners Anja and Thomas Drieseberg are driven and focused on their goal that the Wegeler estate joins the circle of top-flight Rheingau properties. In reviewing the 2003s, we found a superb Estate Kabinett (Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg) and an excellent Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Spätlese. One of the “star” vineyards in the 2003 vintage was Wegeler’s Geisenheimer Rothenberg. The vineyard had sufficient water to overcome the dry periods and produced great 2003 Auslese and TBA wines.


2003 Estate Riesling Medium-Dry - Lovely pear and peach aromas, very rich for a QbA. More of the characteristic pear and peach but with a direct, well crafted focus. Tart, minerally and elegant. 92 Öchsle, 17 RS, 7.4 Acid

Kabinett

2003 Estate Kabinett - A single vineyard “estate” Kabinett, picked from the Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg. Amazingly bright and fresh in style. Almost Mosel like in balance, but with Rheingau mouth filling volume and elegance. Strawberry, lemon and peach aromas. Spicy tropical fruit joins the silky peach and cassis. Very fine and long. Refreshing. 90 Öchsle, 44 RS, 7.2 Acid

Spätlese

2003 Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Spätlese - Compact citrus and pear skin aromas. Finely toned minerals in the aromatics. Very pure in structure, with a breathtaking crystalline quality. A huge shiny wrecking ball of compact, tart fruit power with a glimmer of pungent spice. 102 Öchsle, 95 RS, 7.2 Acid

Auslese and beyond

2003 Geisenheimer Rothenberg Auslese - The best site at Wegeler in 2003. 70% botrytis, honey, yellow peach. Beginning notes of apricot with a fine caramel mist. Impressive textures. Very concentrated with spicy botrytis and pungent soil bits. Elegant and giddy. 135 Öchsle, 8.1 Acid

2003 Geisenheimer Rothenberg TBA - Spiced apple cider and honey aromas. A wine for the next generation? Intensely viscous, a fine bright syrup of apricots, dates and caramel, the texture is over the top. Concentration to the extreme, yet the wine is still elegant and somehow manages to maintain a bright inner core. Amazing TBA. 306 Öchsle, 11.6 Acid

2003 Wegeler Oestrich / Rheingau

Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Thomas Drieseberg

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In 2001 cellarmaster Frank John left the von Buhl estate after an amazing run of vintages that started in 1994. Since then it has been a challenge to stabilize one of the Pfalz’s great estates with the finest vineyard holdings in the villages of Forst and Deidesheim. Starting with the 2003 vintage a new team has been put in place. Stefan Weber as the General Manager and Christoph Graf as Export Director provide for continuity. Hubertus Meitzler is the new man in charge of the cellar and Müller-Catoir’s vineyard manager of 8 years, Sebastian, is responsible for all the outside work. Before tasting the wines from the 2003 vintage, we first tasted three Sekts. We especially liked the ’98 Forster Pechstein Riesling Brut.

Two wines our customers look forward to each vintage are the "Maria Schneider Jazz" Riesling Medium-Dry and the “Armand” Riesling Kabinett. The Jazz Riesling is a great follow up to the very successful 2002 with just a hint more sweetness. The wine is a versatile companion for a broad array of food and a made-to-order wine by the glass candidate, especially in music venues. The “Armand” Riesling Kabinett is a wine where we look for a specific taste profile. The initial ‘03 cuvee was not the successor to the very successful 2002 we were looking for. The whole object of our February trip is to resolve such issues such as this. The ever helpful and reliable Christoph Graf went back to the drawing board and a week later we tasted three more assemblages. Cuvee #3, with a lot of help from the Ungeheuer GKA, was the “Armand” we were looking for. A little less sweet, wonderful underlying minerality with a clean bright fruit patina, this wine will help us continue the “Armand” success story. Other wines that we are impressed with – the Estate Riesling Spätlese Dry (mostly Ungeheuer), the Kirchenstück Grosses Gewächs, Jesuitengarten Spätlese, and the Kirchenstück GKA which achieved its concentration through dehydration.

Grosses Gewächs

2003 Forster Kirchenstück Grosses Gewächs - Each vintage there are three Grosses Gewächs wines presented to us by Buhl. In previous two vintages we’ve picked the Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad, but in ‘03 we are particularly enamored with the Kirchenstück. It offers a silken texture packed with volcanic Forst minerals. Great richness on the palate, with yellow fruits so dense they hint at banana. Ashy minerality cocoons around a seamless pear…very fine.


2003 Maria Schneider “Jazz” Riesling Medium-Dry - Juicy and delicate. Fragrant with forward floral, peach, pear and red fruit aromas. A ripe, lip-smacking Riesling with satisfying, tangy acidity and spicy terroir.

Kabinett

2003 “Armand” Kabinett - Ripe, juicy, mineral driven nose. Loaded with spice and white peach aromas. Mouthwater-ing acidity, big extract, with an incredible finish for a Kabinett. 88 Öchsle, 28 RS, 7.2 Acid

Spätlese

2003 Forster Jesuitengarten Spätlese - Soft, subtle impression of pear and peach with spicy terroir imprints. Ripe and sleek, with an extremely elegant / sophisticated fruit structure. Bright acidity and well balanced. 100 Öchsle

Auslese and beyond

2003 Forster Kirchenstück GKA - Hints of saffron and honey, with approximately 10% botrytis. Ripe yellow peach, round and sleek in the nose. On the palate there is plenty of earth packed into a chewy viscous body, which adds creamy apricot and strawberry to the yellow peach profiles found in the nose. 118 Öchsle

2003 Reichsrat von Buhl Deidesheim / Pfalz

Mr. Meitzler von Buhl’s rarities cellar

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At Pfeffingen you will find substantial Pfalz wines in 2003, the body and richness is greater than you’d expect…and the wines have even more concentration. Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Scheurebe all did well this vintage with excellent levels of extract. Yield was nearly 25% lower than 2002’s already meager bounty. The Rieslings and Scheurebes are particularly good, amazingly concentrated, with the Dry Riesling being unquestionably the best QbA ever from the estate. At Pfeffingen 2003 is vintage with little botrytis, and the intensity found in the collection is a result of dehydration. As with many growers in Germany, it seems that Spätleses were picked at 100 Öchsle and Ausleses in the 110+ Öchsle range, and so it is here too at Pfeffingen. The Scheurebes are particularly powerful, something we’ve never encountered from this estate. This is predominately due to the monster must weights, even the Scheurebe Spätlese was picked at 111 Öchsle.

2003 Pfeffingen Ungstein / Pfalz

Pfeffingen Estate Doris Eymael


2003 Estate Riesling Dry - Wonderfully bright in the nose with white peach, and lemon aromas, underpinned by mineral tones and hints of straw flowers. Fresh and juicy with peach and apricot pit teasing the salivary glands. Concentrated and balanced. This Riesling was picked at 92 Öchsle and not chaptalized. It rarely is. Its 8 grams per liter residual sugar pushes it to the upper end of the dry spectrum, but with almost 8 grams per liter acid there’s no mistake… this is still a dry Riesling.

Kabinett

2003 ‘Pfeffo’ Kabinett Medium-Dry - Peachy, apricot, fresh and balanced with that added blast of spicy, red Ungstein dirt up the nose. Broad and firm with a fine balance between ripe, white peach and tart, thirst quenching acids. A wine for every meal. Delicious. Right on target for a halbtrocken. 93 Öchsle, 11 RS and a kind 11% alcohol.

Spätlese

2003 Ungsteiner Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese - Wonderful nose of red fruit, orange and mineral. Ripe, seamless peach with zesty orange carry nicely to the palate. Packed solid with spiced cinnamon sprinkle minerality. 100 Öchsle, 55 RS, 7.5 Acid

2003 Ungsteiner Nussriegel Gewürztraminer Spätlese - Red fruit, cassis, grapefruit aromas. Very floral with predominate honeysuckle perfume. Very dense and deeply extracted nectar, very pure and delicate for its size. 99 Öchsle, 60 RS, 5.5 Acid 2003 Ungsteiner Herrenberg Scheurebe Spätlese - Spicy pear and peach, red fruit aromatics. POWER Scheurebe, but still elegant; well-honed acid and mineral sleeve around tropical fruit muscle. Orange and ruby grapefruit, so rich and intense it also reveals glimpses of blueberry and raspberry. 111 Öchsle, 70 RS, 6.0 Acid

Auslese

2003 Ungsteiner Herrenberg Scheurebe GKA - Banana, passion fruit, mango, orange and lychee. Trim and elegant considering the lascivious behavior of the tropical oil cult here! Again, here is the power and grace associated with Doris’ Scheurebes. No one does it better. Vapors of orange skin, lychee and passion fruit intoxicate the senses. 125 Öchsle.

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You will notice this new addition to our portfolio and we are just beginning to find our way with how to present this collection of some of the most prestigious dry wines made in Germany. A huge emphasis is placed on the varieties of terroir and the estate goes to great lengths to maintain and clarify the striking personalities of their vineyards. The wines will be of limited availability. Hans Jorg Rebholz was in Australia during our February visit so we tasted with his cellar master Rainer Kessler. Mr. Kessler explained that great care was taken to ensure the wines had sufficient water. We heard many stories from the Pfalz concerning heat damage; sandy soils allowed young vines to be scorched. Rebholz, along with other top producers, began a regimented detail of getting water to the vines, at first by tractor with water tanks in tow. Mr. Kessler and Mr. Rebholz worked to improvise a system that essentially pumped the water from the tank forward through plastic hoses to small spray nozzles attached close to the ground near the front wheels of the tractor. This allowed them to direct water precisely at the base of the stocks. Less ingenious producers tried to spray by other means, but more water ended up on the leaves than was fed to the roots. This process continued for days, essentially emptying 4,000 liter tanks twice a day to make sure the vines were not thirsty. We will limit our offering from Rebholz to his two Grosses Gewächs selections and a very special Gewürztraminer Spätlese that is one of the best we’ve ever tasted.

Grosses Gewächs

2003 Im Sonnenschein Grosses Gewächs - Soft cherry, pear and floral aromas with a bright glow. Silky, round and fine on the palate with subtle mineral textures at play. Spicy raspberry fruit with a smoky background. Muscular and ele-gant with a long elegant finish.

2003 Kastanienbusch Grosses Gewächs - White peach, spicy notes, floral and pervasive. A sophisticated blend of smoky soil and bright, ripe peaches. Elegant with a very firm, distinctive, mineral constitution.

Gewürztraminer

2003 Gewürztraminer Auslese - Picked at 108 Öchsle, from 1968 plantings. Richly styled, incredibly pure aromatics of rose petal spice. It’s purity and varietal accuracy is breathtaking, hints of orange, great length and detail - it’s a stunner that redefines Gewurztraminer. Powerful suggestions of red fruit and spiced pear oil in the aromas. The large structure is ladled with juicy grapefruit and spiced peach, rich and round, while maintaining a calm restraint. Ash and pepper decorate this refreshingly acid propped framework. Very limited allocation.

Other wines of interest: Buntsandstein Riesling Spätlese Dry Im Sonnenschein Pinot Blanc Grosses Gewächs Albersweiler Latt Gewürztraminer Auslese (from 50 year old vines)

2003 Rebholz Siebeldingen / Pfalz

Gewürztraminer tank sample Birgit & Hansjörg Rebholz

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The Wirsching estate has and continues to produce great Silvaners in Franconia. With Dr. Wirsching’s cooperation and support, in addition to the Estate Silvaner in a burgundy bottle, we are now able to offer three more selections in a white burgundy bottle: Riesling, Silvaner, and Scheurebe from the great Julius Echter Berg vineyard. Dr. Wirsching’s willingness to bear the cost of interrupting the regular bottling run for us to offer small quantities of these wines in these bottles now gives no excuses about the lack of display racks for the Bocksbeutel! The 2003 vintage had a yield of 48 hl/ha and an average must weight of 100 Öchsle, ranging from 98 Öchsle to 120 Öchsle. A vintage with no botrytis, and the concentration a result of dehydration. The resulting wines are dense, rich, and alcohol driven and in a vintage like 2003, are difficult to balance given the Franken specific definition of a dry wine having less than 4 g/l RS. Wirsching has overcome these vintage challenges nicely. These are powerful wines and very site specific. We were also very impressed with the Rieslings from Wirsching, they must not be overlooked.

Silvaner

2003 Estate Silvaner Dry - A fresh, bright lemon peel. Round, silky and firm. Refreshingly balanced with an ashy mineral twang, and a fine mineral structure.

2003 Iphöfer Julius Echter Berg Silvaner Spätlese Dry - A huge wine at 14.1% alcohol, rich and broad with imposing grapefruit, pineapple power. Floral notes, mint, iris flash on the palate.

Riesling

2003 Iphöfer Julius Echter Berg Riesling Spätlese Dry - A mineral firecracker in the nose. Celery seed spiced grapefruit juice. Exotic, compact and elegant considering the 13.9% alcoholic girth. There’s an ashy, chewable texture wrapped around brightly focused cherry and peach. This site brings out the best in Riesling despite vintage conditions.

Scheurebe

2003 Iphöfer Julius Echter Berg Scheurebe Spätlese Dry - Vast stony notes in the nose with rhythms of expanding grapefruit, tangerine, passion fruit, pear and red fruit thump the nose…continuing on the palate with a riff of celery at the end.

2003 Hans Wirsching Iphofen / Franken

Dr. Heinrich Wirsching Iphöfer Julius Echter Berg

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Relatively unknown in the American market, Fürst is a winemaking legend in Germany. His ability to perform with so many varietals so well proves without a doubt he one of the most talented vintners in Germany. Fürst wines are not inexpensive, being at least 20 to 30% more compared to his Franken neighbors BUT you get what you pay for!

We honestly feel Fürst is every bit an equal with Fritz Haag and Robert Weil. If you haven’t investigated this serious young winemaker, it is certainly time that you did. This is a world class estate to be reckoned with. Fürst’s 2003 Pinot Blanc selections are the best we’ve ever experienced in Germany showing green melon piquant spice and mind blowing power, yet harmonious on the palate with their rich style. The Rieslings are heavily extracted and have exceptional aromatic intensity, and they tend to show more fruit delineation than other estates this vintage with the Bürgstadter Centgrafenberg Riesling “R” taking top honors with its finely tuned orange red fruit and pear aromas framed within the fine spicy mineral structure of the terroir.

The red wines here always capture our attention with a selection we can barely tackle for the US. Many of the wines are simply too price sensitive for a market still unsure of what truly exists in the red wine category from Germany. Too bad. Furst's Frühburgunders like his Pinot Noirs include the ‘R’ selection (cleverly referencing his father Rudolph not “reserve” as some would think). His Parzival is a power-cuvee of Domina and Pinot Noir flexing flashy raspberry fruit glazed game meat with a healthy shake of white pepper. We still have ample supply of the 2002 “Tradition” Pinot Noir to further the cause and it’s tasting fantastic right now. Plum cherry and raspberry flavors assert themselves over a meaty structure still sleek and elegant with well articulated mineral support. Bounce it off a Burgundy next time you’re feeling feisty.

Müller-Thurgau

2003 Müller-Thurgau Kabinett Dry - Passion fruit, mango, marigold, cassis, and pineapple aromas. This wine gets better every year. Minerals up front and throughout this textured, creamy trifle of tangerine, cassis, passion fruit and mango, repeating the aromas on the palate. Quite dry and exotic; how dare this lowly varietal masquerade as Riesling!

Pinot Blanc

2003 Pinot Blanc Spätlese - 100% stainless steel fermentation. Fetchingly restrained celery and pear skin aromatics. Ripe, round and sleek like no Pinot Blanc we’ve seen outside of Karthäuserhof. Speckles of red sandstone spiciness pervade, and the wine is plump yet bright and clear…again, almost Riesling-like. A hardly noticeable 13% alcohol.

Riesling

2003 Bürgstadter Centgrafenberg Riesling Spätlese Dry - An intriguing suggestion of mushroom and coconut seems embedded within the fresh pear aromas. Tart pear, sour apple and tangy lemon drops. A fine mineral ash settles over the silky, sleek composition. Fermented in a large barrique, it continues to plump up on the palate while retaining its sleek mold.

Silvaner

2003 Bürgstadter Centgrafenberg Silvaner Spätlese Dry - Lemony fresh citrus zest, pears and spiced dirt perfume. Tremendous concentration coupled with amazing harmony. On the palate you find yellow peach laced with citrus and pear. A long, creamy, compact and dry finish.

2003 Rudolf Fürst Bürgstadt / Franken

Bürgstadter Centgrafenberg Paul Fürst

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We all hope more will take notice of our new Nahe property, just one year old in our book this season. Young Tim Fröhlich has another beautiful vintage under the belt at this tight ship manned by the entire family. During this visit we wove our way around a dizzying display centered around several Spätleses from the Felseneck vineyard. With a nearly exhausting and powerful spread of potential Grosses Gewächs samples from Bockenauer Felseneck, Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen and Halenberg, it was refreshing to dive into a charming array of fruity wines, even considering their still fermenting states. The wines here are in general quite rich, round and the terroirs are exceptionally site-specific. Yield in 2003 was a scant 45 hl/ha.


2003 Estate Riesling Medium-Dry - Shimmering fresh aromas of raspberry, pear and cassis with floral overtones. Bright, balanced and firm, tangy with a moderate show of minerality but attractive, lingering floral, pear quality at close. Selected from the Felseneck and Frühlingsplätzchen sites. 87 Öchsle, chaptalized to 90 Öchsle, 7.0 Acid

Kabinett

2003 Estate Kabinett - We tried two examples of the Kabinett from the Felseneck vineyard destined for the Estate Kabinett bottling, both at 88 Öchsle and 7.5 grams per liter acidity (with one cuvee containing 10% Spatlese added). The outcome will reveal plenty of mineral influenced pear, sour cherry and floral hints. The form is ethereal and light with a spray of ripe flavors bristling at the core to get loose on the palate. 88 Öchsle, 50- 60 RS, 7.0 Acid

Spätlese

2003 Bockenauer Felseneck Spätlese - Tangerine and juicy peach aromas dominate, backed with a mineral blast. Extracted fruit core of citrus and cherry with liberal sprinkling of mineral spices first, then a doughy concentrate, adding pineapple, peach and cassis. Balanced acids with a predominate mineral consciousness. Elegant. 95 Öchsle, 60- 65 RS, 7.2 Acid 2003 Monzinger Halenberg Spätlese - Cassis and peach encounter a surprising wink of toasted coconut in the nose. Ripe strawberry pear and cinnamon spiced coconut shavings continue on the plate. Very extracted, a powerful yet fine and polished Spätlese. 100 Öchsle, 70 RS, 6.8 Acid

Auslese and beyond

2003 Bockenauer Felseneck Auslese - A batch of fragrant pineapple, and ripe red strawberry. Fat and juicy, still a jumble of ideas racing to form a thesis. There is an exotic theme on the palate which adds banana chips to the hints of saffron botrytis notes. Balanced with a fine weave of mineral dust and focused acidity. 125 Öchsle, 120- 130 RS, 8.0 Acid The Schäfer-Fröhlich collection also includes the following wines:

2003 Bockenauer Felseneck GKA - 145 Öchsle, 7.5 Acid 2003 Bockenauer Felseneck TBA # 1 - 225 Öchsle, 9.5 Acid 2003 Bockenauer Felseneck TBA # 2 - 290 Öchsle, 9.5 Acid

2003 Schäfer-Fröhlich Bockenau / Nahe

Bockenau Vineyards Tim Fröhlich

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2003 represents a vintage of change for Gunderloch, which of course is nothing new for the estate. Those who know Fritz and Agnes Hasselbach are already aware that they are perhaps some of the most forward thinking vintners in all of Germany. This attitude has surely caused tension and limited their position in the hierarchy of the local German wine scene, but likewise, has endeared them to wine lovers around the world beyond Germany. The Hasselbach’s have long understood the importance of developing a solid base of Estate Wines with the same diligence associated with the production of the rarer, more limited selections from the Rothenberg vineyard. Gunderloch forges its way into the 21st century and is one of the first of our producers to obtain a true Stelvin screw cap enclosure for all their estate wines. Once again we have all selections from Estate Riesling to TBA. Also noteworthy, Fritz commented that preliminary wine analysis shows tartaric acid upwards of 90% in all the 2003 selections, which is extremely high, giving the wines a ripe juicy acidity.


2003 Estate Riesling Dry - Picked at 100 Öchsle. A complicated spray of aromas…melon rind, papaya, lilac, peaches, red fruits and smoky stones. A voluminous Estate Riesling! Citrus and tangerine engage the palate with plenty of peppery red dusty soil. Rich and tangy.

Kabinett

2003 "Jean Baptiste" Kabinett - Smoky melon, cherry, peach, celery, tangerine and soft floral aromas along with flinty mineral spices. Juicy, and crackling with superb ripeness at the core of pear and raspberry fruit. The seductive level of ripeness broadens the palate and widens the smile. A sizzling acidity and tangy minerality combined keeps it refreshing and bright.

Spätlese

2003 Nackenheimer Rothenberg Spätlese - The nose is finely toned and detailed with Rothenberg perfume, but there are already other bright fruit delineations of tangerine and pear showing through the obvious density. The palate flashes with bright glimpses of grapefruit and tangerine, with apricot-mango lurking in the shadows. The combination of powerful fruit and stunning red earth cannot be better expressed than by the alchemy here at Gunderloch.

Auslese and beyond

2003 Nackenheimer Rothenberg Auslese - Big shift up from the Spätlese. Peach and cassis battle with a smoky ashen slate terroir for attention. While it’s still fermenting, there is already an attempt to assert a personality. Yellow peach, spicy red slate, peppered pear, blend in harmony with fine botrytis honey tones. Despite the weight and power, it maintains the unique elegance of 2003. Botrytis finally formed for Gunderloch in January of 2004, and with it the noble sweet wines below were selected. Because of this very late picking, the wines were not available for tasting in February ‘04. 2003 Nackenheimer Rothenberg GKA - 150 Öchsle 2003 Nackenheimer Rothenberg BA - 200 Öchsle 2003 Nackenheimer Rothenberg TBA - 286 Öchsle 2003 Messidor BA (1/3 Riesling, 1/3 Silvaner, 1/3 Müller-Thurgau) - 128 Öchsle

2003 Gunderloch Nackenheim / Rheinhessen

Fritz Hasselbach Nackenheimer Rothenberg

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The Heger 2003 wines are immense compared to what we’ve tasted in previous years. Several varietals did quite well, including Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and an otherworldly Muskateller, which we just have to bring in (limited amounts) because it is mesmerizing. It is an unforgettable wine! The Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc are superb this year, rivaling the best examples ever produced at the estate. The Pinot Blancs are complex, with rich cashew aromas and melon, flaunting tremendous structure, while the Pinot Noirs have startling deep violet purple, with dense ripe fruit. Despite their great size, they are remarkably fresh and bright on the palate. They shimmy but they do not prance!

Pinot Gris

2003 Weinhaus Heger Pinot Gris - Lemon pear dominates the aromas. Mouth-filling and assertive for a QbA, the ripe, forward spicy pear fruit is emblazoned with a bright, mineral twang.

Muskateller

2003 Dr. Heger Muskateller - Orange-lychee vapor mixes with a perfume from another dimension. You might feel like Pepe Le’Pew, floating hypnotized behind a mysterious, unnamable fragrance. Jasmine, lilacs, green pine nuts and orange nuances join a flood of spice on the palate. Heger has found the rarest, exotic flower on the planet.

Pinot Noir

2003 Weinhaus Heger Pinot Noir - There were two portions of the potion we sampled before cuvee. In one un-oaked terrarium, plumy, wild animal fruits drop down to roll in the dirt and shake off a spicy-striped leathery hide while a healthy strawberry-rhubarb jelly squirms loose…a large form yet nimble. Another wood-tamed species showed darker, spicier spots with cocoa and mushroom camouflaged underneath, further revealing cranberry, black pepper and cocoa-puffed plums with long, broad textures.

Pinot Blanc

2003 Weinhaus Heger Pinot Blanc - Attractive floral, pear and nutty spiced mineral aromas. Green melon and mint vie for attention. Ripe, round and broad with ample pear fruit, and almond pepper awash on the palate.

2003 Dr. Heger & Weinhaus Heger Ihringen / Baden

Ihringer Winklerberg Joachim Heger

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We always tend to finish up with the charismatic ringmaster in the dark pony stable…Werner Näkel. Thanks to his constant globe-trotting wine making routine additionally in Portugal and South Africa, this year we were treated to his lovely and bright young daughter, Meike Näkel, as hostess who is also quite involved in the winery. In fact, she is entirely in charge of the sparkling wine production this year. As always, we are dazzled by the scope of these vibrant, ripely stuffed red wines, showing deeply extracted flavors with colors to match. When was the last time you had a refreshing red wine that also had a concentrated depth and textural complexity? These are not necessarily mutually exclusive terms. We sampled a variety of cuvees not yet tossed for the table.

Pinot Noir

2003 Pinot Noir - Intense ruby violet color. White peppered cherries lace the nose. Dense black cherries and plums abound…broad and firm with earthy, black peppery integration to the dark, juicy fruit. Superb balance. A refreshing red wine with well-behaved oak influences. 2003 Meyer-Näkel Pinot Noir “S” - Deep, black-hole-in-space purple color, sucking all light from the room. Coffee, cocoa, wild berries and game in the aromas. Subtle oak influences are thread throughout with ashy, chewable mineral encrusted plums and blackberries. Huge but elegant and athletic.

2003 Meyer-Näkel Dernau / Ahr

Dernau Vineyards Werner Näkel

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